Excerpts from "The Phschosocial Effects of Male Pattern Balding"
Dr. Thomas Cash, Ph. D.

"Greater hair-loss stress is associated with a less happy body image, a poorer sexuality self-concept, a more external focus of control, higher social self-consciousness, and lower self-esteem.

... balding significantly diminishes the quality of life. Men with an already vulnerable sense of self may be especially sensitive to the stress of hair loss. Alternatively, men who are most distressed by their loss of hair may be less able to cope and to protect the integrity of their basic sense of well being ...

The magnitude of the stress caused by hair loss is predictive of its effects on personality and psychosocial well-being. The greater a man's initial or ultimate experience of negative emotional stress because of his balding, the less satisfactory is his current psychosocial functioning.

The psychological stress is experienced more intensely by men who had an earlier onset of hair loss, who perceive their balding as socially noticeable, who expect that they will continue to lose hair in the future, and by younger men and men who are single and not involved in dating.

The reality of hair loss among the balding participants also initially produced a significant amount of socioemotional stress, preoccupation and coping efforts. The more pronounced the hair loss, the stronger the adverse impact. Balding is likely to lessen satisfaction with hair and, among those with the most hair loss, to weaken the satisfaction with overall body image."